HK agency that broke news of defective trains stands by report
Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan inspecting a fixed bolster on an SMRT train that has a hairline crack, at Bishan Depot on July 12, 2016. Photo: Ooi Boon Keong/TODAY
SINGAPORE – FactWire, the Hong Kong news agency that first broke news of the hairline cracks found on 26 China-made SMRT trains, has defended its reporting amid suggestions that its articles are politically motivated.
In an open letter to Singapore’s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Thursday (July 14), the agency maintains that it is funded by the Hong Kong public and that its reporting is independent of commercial or political considerations.
FactWire’s letter came after Mr Khaw addressed concerns about the hairline cracks at a media briefing on Tuesday. The minister said the cracks were a routine matter that had been “mis-spun into a controversy”, and reiterated the authorities’ assurance that the defects did not pose a safety concern.
Had the hairline cracks found on the trains compromised safety or service availability, the authorities would have released the information “immediately”, he told reporters.
Mr Khaw, who did not name FactWire in his comments, added: “We are caught in a crossfire and there are factions in Hong Kong who wanted to cause some difficulties for mainland China. I have no inside information on whether that is true or not, but it’s possible.
“Unfortunately, we (have) become a convenient bullet and collateral damage. Whatever it is, it is of legitimate concern to Singaporeans and we have to address (it).”
FactWire, citing an article by Singapore socio-political website The Independent, said: “Instead of taking responsibility for an incident which has damaged the Singaporean public’s trust in the authorities, the minister blamed the Hong Kong news agency for exposing the cover up of the recalls of defective trains.”
Mr Khaw has not responded to FactWire’s letter.
